Part Two of ‘The Pioneers’ Documentary Shows USA Rugby take on the world at Rugby World Cup Sevens

HSBC, title partner and Official Banking Partner of the World Rugby Sevens Series reveals conclusion to behind-the-scenes documentary commissioned to accelerate the growth of rugby sevens in the USA

HSBC Sport • October 14, 2018 •

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Mike Lee/KLC Fotos

HSBC today released part two of 'The Pioneers,' the conclusion of its behind-the-scenes documentary following the USA Men's Sevens team. The finale of the two-part documentary follows the team's attempt to shock the world and take home the Rugby World Cup Sevens title on home soil, which energized the US sporting community at an incredible tournament in San Francisco.

The documentary has aired in full on NBC Sports Network as well as across HSBC, USA Rugby and World Rugby digital and social media channels. The 55-minute, two-part documentary follows the team through the 2018 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, their preparations for the Rugby World Cup Sevens, the tournament in San Francisco and then the reaction to the result.

HSBC has commissioned 'The Pioneers' as part of its long-term partnership with rugby sevens built around a mission to drive forward the growth of the sport in partnership with World Rugby. HSBC identified the USA, a sporting powerhouse with huge growth potential, as a key market for the sport moving forward. The ambition with 'The Pioneers' is to create a story that can attract new fans in the United States and set the sport up for explosive growth.

The full documentary 'The Pioneers' can be viewed here:

A HSBC spokesperson said: "Rugby sevens is a sport with incredible opportunity. With new fans taking to the game across the globe and new teams and players emerging, the potential is huge. Our partnership with World Rugby is built around our commitment to help accelerate explosive growth, so we were delighted to work with USA Rugby to put together this film and help bring new fans in the USA closer to the sport.

"The USA team is an incredible example of teamwork, ambition and skill and we are delighted to help bring their story to the world in 'The Pioneers'."

Mike Friday, Head Coach of the USA Men's Sevens Team said: "We are thankful that the wider American sporting public has had the chance to discover the talented players and incredible personalities that we have the opportunity to coach. We may not have claimed victory in San Francisco, but the impact of the tournament on the fans in the stadium and those watching at home cannot be overstated as we seek to position the game to complement the traditional super-sports in the country. We will continue our journey in the next HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and then to the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020."

Ross Young, Chief Executive Officer at USA Rugby said: "On behalf of USA Rugby we are extremely grateful to HSBC for telling the story of the USA Sevens team. The Rugby World Cup Sevens was a brilliant showcase of the best of what rugby in America can be, a colorful and entertaining spectacle of rugby in a stunning location. We believe rugby in the United States will continue to grow on the back of that great success and projects like 'The Pioneers' go a long way to helping that happen."

Director of the film, Zoomfiji's Bruce Southwick, said: "Two very American values - togetherness despite our differences and open communication - have captivated me as a storyteller and taught me lessons for my own life. It has been an honor following the USA team with HSBC on their incredible journey over the last year. I can't thank the team and coaching staff enough for letting us witness it in such a raw and honest manner. Their drive and aspirations are limitless and I can't wait to see what these amazing humans achieve on and off the field."

PLEASE NOTE

The Digital Platform Department cannot respond to enquiries regarding the above platforms as each are managed by a different USA Rugby department.

If you are having issues with one of the following USA Rugby websites -- USARugby.org (main website only), D1ARugby.com, D1ARugby.tv, RookieRugby.com, PlayRugbyToday.com, TryOnRugby.com, USACollege7s.com -- please contact David Jacobson or Aaron Ewerdt.